Green Sweep!

Kawasaki rule the roost at the Bulgarian Grand Prix with green riders taking all four MX1 and MX2 moto wins…

Super-sunny and super-dry is the best way to sum up the conditions for the second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship which was held at Sevlievo in Bulgaria. The stunning hillside circuit proved to be an excellent battleground and one that suited riders on green machinery.

Tommy Searle takes overall victory in MX2 with a 3-1 scorecard. Tommy had been leading moto one until a front brake problem saw him lose pace which allowed team-mate Joel Roelants and Jeffrey Herlings through. Roelants went on to win the moto with Herlings a distant second. Race two was all about Tommy though and he led from start to finish. Herlings pushed hard in the latter part of the moto but Tommy upped his pace and got the job done! At the end of the day Tommy, Herlings and Roelants stood on the podium with just two points separating them so not much has changed in the championship chase.

For the other Brits in MX2 it was a mixed day. Max Anstie finished a very creditable fifth overall on the Gariboldi Honda while Jake Nicholls was ninth after picking the wrong tyres for race one and slipping off on a freshly watered section of track in race two – a fate that also took out Elliott Banks-Browne. EBB’s luck is nothing short of shocking at the moment as his KTM also cut out while he was running eighth in race one. Zero points isn’t what Elliott was hoping for or deserves. Mel Pocock finished the day 15th overall and he had to work hard for that after early race crashes impeded his progress.

Christophe Pourcel proved that when he’s on it he’s on it running 1-2 to finish second overall behind compatriot Gautier Paulin who goes 2-1 on the KRT machine. The pair of Frenchies are joined on the podium by series leader Cairoli who runs 4-3 on the factory 350 to cement his place at the top of the leaderboard. A late race fall ends the podium chances of Clement Desalle in race two. The Belgian Suzuki rider regroups to end the day with a 3-18 scorecard.

Shaun Simpson is best of the Brits in ninth overall and he’s joined in the points by Nathan Parker who chases home Desalle in race two to open his account with a fine pair. It would’ve been a double celebration for the STR KTM team but for Matiss Karro crashing out of race two when he had eighth in the bag. The crash was a big un but the curly locked Latvian is said to be okay and will be good to go in Fermo next weekend…

2012 FIM MX1 / MX2 World Motocross Championship
Round 02: Sevlievo – Bulgaria